In this solo episode, T.D. Flenaugh shares a practical approach to supporting students who struggle with writing—especially those who freeze at a blank page or shut down after receiving feedback. She connects classroom experiences with national writing data and introduces a framework for building students’ writing habits without overwhelming them.Using an unfinished student argument draft as an example, Flenaugh demonstrates how to start feedback with strengths and then offer one focused next step. She also explains the difference between pre-writing, drafting, revision, and editing, and makes the case for authentic audiences, intentional practice, and more room for creativity in writing instruction.

01:05 — What this episode will help teachers do

03:10 — NAEP writing scores and the national decline

04:38 — Classroom and college signs of a deeper writing crisis

06:43 — Where to find R.E.W.R.I.T.E. Method resources

08:59 — Reading a writing sample

13:03 — Root causes and recognizing students’ talents

15:22 — Effective feedback starts with strengths

25:59 — Writing process, from pre-writing to editing

30:49 — Real audiences improve motivation

32:14 — Intentional writing goals

33:47 — Treasures of writing and language of the discipline

34:46 — Encouraging creativity in writing instruction

https://fallinginlovewithlearning.com/resources/ols/products/free-ebook-falling-in-love-with-writing

• Root causes
• Recognizing talents
• Effective feedback
• Real-world purposes and audiences
• Intentional practice
• Treasures: writing qualities
• Encouraging creativity

This episode focuses on how parents and educators can help kids make healthier food choices in a world full of recalls, processed foods, and mixed messages about nutrition. T.D. Flenaugh and Lauren Moseley discuss practical ways to teach children about food safety, food labels, and the connection between food and how the body works.They also explore how cooking, gardening, and eating together can build healthier habits, stronger family connections, and a more informed approach to food.

00:43 - Lauren’s perfume-making detour and a segue into food safety

03:23 - Education as a tool for health and empowerment

06:11 - Connecting nutrition lessons to real-world reading and writing

10:20 - Using research and documentaries to study what’s in food

13:50 - Black bean sprouting as a simple at-home science lesson

16:14 - Food festivals, family recipes, and cultural connections

21:20 - Modeling healthy choices when family and school influences differ

23:32 - Avoiding shame, reward, and punishment around food

27:36 - Taste buds, food habits, and trying new things over time

30:51 - How sight, smell, and taste work together in food choices

33:14 - Final encouragement to help kids become informed eaters

Season 4, episode 11 Replay Show Notes

A Texas teacher’s viral reaction to finding 12th graders unable to complete a simple sentence frame sparks a larger conversation about literacy, expectations, and what schools can do when students are far behind. T.D. Flenaugh and Lauren Moseley unpack why the frustration is real, but also why giving up or over-scaffolding is not the answer.In this episode, they focus on how to assess students honestly at the start of the year, how to use scaffolds without keeping them forever, and how creativity, choice, and consistent practice can help older students close literacy gaps.

00:19 - Why a Texas 12th grade literacy meltdown went viral

03:23 - What scaffolding means in practice

08:24 - Why beginning-of-year assessment matters more than immediate scaffolding

14:33 - Telling students where they need to be without shaming them

16:32 - Grade-level standards and asking students to articulate them

19:28 - How a five-page narrative helped eleventh graders succeed

22:44 - Why choice helped get 100 percent work completion in some tasks

26:12 - Setting a 10-minute writing goal and increasing expectations over time

32:22 - Pulling back sentence frames as students improve

40:33 - Why the conversation will continue with reading as well as writing

41:02 - Closing advice: release scaffolds, raise expectations, and keep practice fun

This episode of Falling for Learning Podcast focuses on civic engagement and why it matters to start early with students. T.D. Flenaugh and Lauren Moseley talk about helping kids think critically, understand rules and laws, and practice participation through voting, writing letters, and solving community problems. In this conversation, they connect classroom routines to bigger democratic habits and share practical ways teachers and parents can help children use their voice without telling them what to think.

00:00 — Introducing civic engagement and helping students think critically

06:30 — Writing letters and giving children a voice in public concerns

13:13 — Student advocacy and how schools can respond to children’s needs

19:40 — Teaching respectful disagreement, nuance, and civil discourse

26:05 — Community responsibility through animal care and local action

34:39 — Closing encouragement for educators and parents

02:16 - How she learned reading through phonics 

04:54 - What whole language and three cueing try to do 

08:02 - Who gets left behind without explicit instruction 

09:28 - What dyslexia means for reading development 

11:21 - Why structured literacy builds reading skill 

13:16 - The reading wars and how publishing shaped them 

18:12 - Reading support as a village effort 

19:38 - The summer slide and why kids lose progress 

21:00 - Simple things parents can do at home 

23:22 - Why 10 minutes a day beats one long weekly session 

24:43 - Moving forward with science based reading support 

• Review the alphabet and high frequency words with your child regularly.
• Use short, daily reading sessions instead of occasional long sessions.
• Reinforce school learning at home, especially during breaks.
• Seek help from teachers, reading interventionists, tutors, or library programs if needed.
• Stay patient and consistent, even if your child is behind.

In this episode of Falling for Learning, T.D. Flenaugh sits down with Paula Banks, a creative confidence educator, children’s author, and founder of Lit Kids Create. Paula shares how curiosity, reading, and storytelling shaped her path as an educator and how she now helps children discover that their voices matter before they worry about writing perfectly.

• Paula’s educational journey
• How Lit Kids Create helps children express ideas and build confidence
• The “Books by Me” program and how students become published authors
• Why “confidence before correction” matters for young writers
• How a negative early writing experience can affect a child for years
• The importance of being your child’s “first hype crew”

Paula explains that children often shut down when adults lead with criticism instead of encouragement. She shares her belief that kids need confidence before correction, and that adults should notice what’s working before pointing out what needs revision.She also describes how her program gives students ownership over their stories, characters, and plot ideas while guiding them through the publishing process. For Paula, the goal is not just writing—it’s helping children feel safe, heard, and valued.

• Lit Kids Create: https://litkidscreate.com
• Instagram: @litkidscreate
• Facebook: Paula Banks
• Anthology: I Got a Story to Tell, Volume One

This episode responds to a viral clip of a Texas high school teacher breaking down because 12th grade students could not complete a short writing task, and uses it as a springboard for a broader conversation about literacy gaps. T.D. Flenaugh and Lauren Moseley discuss what scaffolding is supposed to do, why it should be faded over time, and how teachers and parents can build real reading and writing stamina instead of relying on permanent supports.

Key topics
In this episode, T.D. Flenaugh and Lauren Moseley unpack the frustration behind the viral Texas classroom video and why the teacher’s tears reflected a serious literacy concern.

They explain that scaffolds, like sentence stems and sentence frames, are meant to be temporary supports, not a permanent classroom default.

Lauren describes how a basic sentence stem can help students respond at different grade levels, from a one-word answer to a full sentence.

T.D. shares that beginning-of-year assessments should show what students can actually do before heavy scaffolds are introduced.
They stress that students should be asked to write at grade level, even if they are below level, so teachers can identify the real gap.

T.D. gives examples from fifth, sixth, and 11th grade writing tasks, including on-demand paragraphs and five-page narratives.
Lauren talks about RTI and data-driven interventions that identify specific skill gaps, such as phonemic awareness, blending, digraphs, and diphthongs.

They emphasize that motivation matters and that creativity, choice, and fun can help students re-engage with writing.
Both speakers argue that parents need to reinforce reading and writing at home to reduce the long-term effects of the summer slide.

They caution against protecting students from independent work, since state tests will require them to perform without help.

Timestamps

(00:47) Why a 12th grade student struggling to write is alarming
(03:22) What scaffolding is supposed to do
(06:12) Sentence stems and sentence frames explained
(08:23) Why beginning-of-year assessment should come first
(09:59) How T.D. assesses writing without over-scaffolding
(13:58) Setting expectations without shaming students
(17:02) Why first drafts matter and why grade-level rigor matters
(20:00) How creativity helps close learning gaps
(26:06) Building writing stamina with timed practice
(29:18) Bringing fun back into literacy through books and events
(31:39) Fading scaffolds so students can work independently
(34:19) Lauren on RTI, assessment data, and targeted intervention
(39:36) Why independent work is necessary before state testing

This episode focuses on how children learn, not just what they learn. T.D. Flenaugh explains why teaching the learning process helps kids build confidence, resilience, and a growth mindset that carries into school and life. The message is especially relevant for parents and teachers who want to prepare children for challenges, mistakes, and setbacks. The episode also offers practical examples of everyday learning projects, from tying shoes to cooking to basic life skills.

• In this solo episode, T.D. Flenaugh explores the learning process as a skill in itself, not just a part of reading, writing, or schoolwork.
• T.D. Flenaugh connects learning gaps at home with broader educational struggles, including reading challenges and parents who may not have had strong support themselves.
• The episode explains how learning hard things builds self-esteem, patience, self-efficacy, and resilience.
• T.D. Flenaugh highlights that children learn best when they discover how they learn, whether through watching, doing, or using visuals.
• Parents are encouraged to be transparent about their own learning struggles so children see that learning is ongoing for everyone.
• Real-world examples include selling lemonade, cooking breakfast, tying shoes, driving, learning technology, and hosting Thanksgiving.
• The central takeaway is that children who understand the learning process are better prepared for school, work, and independent adulthood.

How do young artists start by selling drawings to classmates and elevate to getting work commissioned by celebrities to create album covers, murals, and more! The Wright family of artists discuss how art, family, and community can shape the next generation's love of learning and creativity. This episode features artist siblings Malachi Wright and Amoz Wright and their mother Marguerite Wright, sharing their inspiring journeys and community projects, including a powerful mural for Harvey, their home town in Illinois, that symbolizes hope and healing.

• The process and significance behind the Harvey mural project titled "The Wall of Therapy"
• Stories of young artists selling, getting commissions, and reaching celebrities
• Balancing formal education and professional careers in art and design
• The impact of art as a form of healing, therapy, and positive community reinforcement

00:00 - Introduction to the podcast’s focus on education, resources, and family stories

00:45 - The origin of the Harvey mural and community collaboration

01:42 - Welcoming the Wright family, emphasizing the significance of art careers vs. traditional beliefs

06:02 - Malachi shares his journey into becoming an artist and his inspirations

09:00 - Marguerite’s experience as a graphic designer and her artistic journey

09:45 - The importance of supporting children’s passions and families’ roles in nurturing talent

11:26 - Selling art work as a child and how friendships and social media helped

12:45 - Early celebrity commissions and interactions with major artists and entertainers

13:49 - The significance of social media in building art careers and professional relationships

17:09 - Amoz’s journey through sports, scholarships, and choosing to study abroad and in college

18:02 - Upcoming projects, including murals, graphic novels, and a museum centered on motherhood and children’s health

19:58 - Details about the Harvey mural project and community involvement

25:19 - A future of ongoing creative collaborations, media projects, and inspiring youth voices

Visit Malachi’s website

 https://www.thewrightart.net/

Learn how Malachi Wright and Amoz Wright evolve from selling their drawings to classmates to being commissioned by celebrities to create album covers, murals, and more! Join us as we explore how art, family, and community can shape the next generation's love of learning and creativity. This episode features the Wright family — artist siblings Malachi and Amoz and their mother Marguerite — sharing their inspiring journeys and community projects, including a powerful mural for Harvey their home town in Illinois that symbolizes hope and healing.

• The process and significance behind the Harvey mural project titled "The Wall of Therapy"
• Stories of young artists selling, getting commissions, and reaching celebrities
• Balancing formal education and professional careers in art and design
• The impact of art as a form of healing, therapy, and positive community reinforcement

00:00 - Introduction to the podcast’s focus on education, resources, and family stories

00:45 - The origin of the Harvey mural and community collaboration

01:42 - Welcoming the Wright family, emphasizing the significance of art careers vs. traditional beliefs

06:02 - Malachi shares his journey into becoming an artist and his inspirations

09:00 - Marguerite’s experience as a graphic designer and her artistic journey

09:45 - The importance of supporting children’s passions and families’ roles in nurturing talent

11:26 - Selling art work as a child and how friendships and social media helped

12:45 - Early celebrity commissions and interactions with major artists and entertainers

13:49 - The significance of social media in building art careers and professional relationships

17:09 - Amoz’s journey through sports, scholarships, and choosing to study abroad and in college

18:02 - Upcoming projects, including murals, graphic novels, and a museum centered on motherhood and children’s health

19:58 - Details about the Harvey mural project and community involvement

25:19 - A future of ongoing creative collaborations, media projects, and inspiring youth voices

Visit Malachi’s website

 https://www.thewrightart.net/